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Reply 1
Original post by Nautic4l
Hello,

Has anyone gotten into Med through this competitive route? Or do you know anyone who has?

Just looking for more info! It says the process is under review so if current students (Med/Biomed) at Newcastle could help, that'd be great.

Thanks! :smile:


I know a couple of people, but it's really competitive and shouldn't be seen as a good way to "get into medicine". It's significantly more competitive than applying to Newcastle normally for the undergraduate degree. If you want to do medicine, best thing would be to reapply rather than plant everything on a BSc transfer course (counts for anywhere that does them, not just Newcastle).
Reply 2
Original post by Beska
I know a couple of people, but it's really competitive and shouldn't be seen as a good way to "get into medicine". It's significantly more competitive than applying to Newcastle normally for the undergraduate degree. If you want to do medicine, best thing would be to reapply rather than plant everything on a BSc transfer course (counts for anywhere that does them, not just Newcastle).


Yep anything is competitive really but there's no point painting it to be unachievable I think! Especially since there are people who have got in. But I definitely get you! I like Newcastle as a university too so wouldn't mind completing the 3 years if the transfer doesn't work :smile:

Did the people you know get in recently?
Original post by Nautic4l
Yep anything is competitive really but there's no point painting it to be unachievable I think! Especially since there are people who have got in. But I definitely get you! I like Newcastle as a university too so wouldn't mind completing the 3 years if the transfer doesn't work :smile:

Did the people you know get in recently?


Beska didn't paint it to be unachieveable but simply stated the obvious in that it is very difficult and suggested an alternative (maybe slightly easier) route. Stats for the transfer can be viewed here: http://www.ncl.ac.uk/biomed/study/transfer/
Reply 4
Original post by plrodham1
Beska didn't paint it to be unachieveable but simply stated the obvious in that it is very difficult and suggested an alternative (maybe slightly easier) route. Stats for the transfer can be viewed here: http://www.ncl.ac.uk/biomed/study/transfer/


I know the stats and process and so on, but wanted to get first-hand opinions of people who have gotten through recently. How they found the course, was it easy to get the grades and so on :smile:
Reply 5
Hi, I managed to get an offer to transfer from biomed to medicine this year and Im writing this here because i know when i was initially thinking of using this route there was barely any information out there. Here's my advice to anyone looking for information.
1) Yes its competitive but it is very much possible. It sounds daunting looking at the stats, roughly 100 applications for 7 offers but you'd be surprised at how many people give up/ aren't prepared.
2) Work hard. You have to get an average of 75% in semester one to get considered for an interview which requires a some hard work, but that doesn't mean you can't have a social life. You might not be going out quite as much as your flatmates but that doesn't mean you are spending 6 hours in the library everyday. Biggest piece of advice for this is not to leave things to the last minute and actually enjoy your first year.
3) UKCAT + RECENT RELEVANT WORK EXPERIENCE. As long as you've got a decent UKcat you stand a VERY good shot at getting an interview, its different every year but spend as much time before coming to uni to try and get a good UKcat. Also at interview they want to see that you have some stuff you've done in uni that show that you are motivated to do medicine e.g. i joined one of the medicine societies and got a part time job as a carer. they wont be as bothered about the 2 weeks you did in africa in year 10.
Like I said its competitive but i think as long as you take each hurdle as it comes and put in your best; ukcat, grades, interview, then its definitely worth going for if you didn't get into medicine via the traditional route. However don't go for it if you won't enjoy doing the entire 3 years should you fail to get in.
Original post by BeeNotes
Hi, I managed to get an offer to transfer from biomed to medicine this year and Im writing this here because i know when i was initially thinking of using this route there was barely any information out there. Here's my advice to anyone looking for information.
1) Yes its competitive but it is very much possible. It sounds daunting looking at the stats, roughly 100 applications for 7 offers but you'd be surprised at how many people give up/ aren't prepared.
2) Work hard. You have to get an average of 75% in semester one to get considered for an interview which requires a some hard work, but that doesn't mean you can't have a social life. You might not be going out quite as much as your flatmates but that doesn't mean you are spending 6 hours in the library everyday. Biggest piece of advice for this is not to leave things to the last minute and actually enjoy your first year.
3) UKCAT + RECENT RELEVANT WORK EXPERIENCE. As long as you've got a decent UKcat you stand a VERY good shot at getting an interview, its different every year but spend as much time before coming to uni to try and get a good UKcat. Also at interview they want to see that you have some stuff you've done in uni that show that you are motivated to do medicine e.g. i joined one of the medicine societies and got a part time job as a carer. they wont be as bothered about the 2 weeks you did in africa in year 10.
Like I said its competitive but i think as long as you take each hurdle as it comes and put in your best; ukcat, grades, interview, then its definitely worth going for if you didn't get into medicine via the traditional route. However don't go for it if you won't enjoy doing the entire 3 years should you fail to get in.


Hi, thanks for sharing this
I have an offer for biomed from newcastle and would also be interested in transferring to med. Please could you let me know whether you had to write another personal statement or whether they gave interviews just based on Ukcat scores? also, do applicants have to have certain A level grades to apply?

I would really be grateful for any info you can give about this scheme. thanks! :smile:
Reply 7
Original post by wishingwillow
Hi, thanks for sharing this
I have an offer for biomed from newcastle and would also be interested in transferring to med. Please could you let me know whether you had to write another personal statement or whether they gave interviews just based on Ukcat scores? also, do applicants have to have certain A level grades to apply?

I would really be grateful for any info you can give about this scheme. thanks! :smile:


You have to write a personal statement but I'm not entirely sure what it was used for seeing as the interviewers don't read them and it's not used to decide who gets an interview. My guess is that they use it to decide between people who have the same grades/ ukcat/ interview score. The information on the website says getting an interview is purely down to UKcat, as long as you get 75% in your exams. And nope, a level grades are not a factor. I got ABBBC in my a levels which was the reason I missed out on my original offer for med school. And here's another piece of advice, don't get intimidated by all the really smart people. I remember thinking I would never get an offer because I was nowhere near as smart as some of the other people I knew were applying but at the end of the day they are looking for people who would make good doctors, and thats a lot more than just cleverness
Original post by BeeNotes
Hi, I managed to get an offer to transfer from biomed to medicine this year and Im writing this here because i know when i was initially thinking of using this route there was barely any information out there. Here's my advice to anyone looking for information.
1) Yes its competitive but it is very much possible. It sounds daunting looking at the stats, roughly 100 applications for 7 offers but you'd be surprised at how many people give up/ aren't prepared.
2) Work hard. You have to get an average of 75% in semester one to get considered for an interview which requires a some hard work, but that doesn't mean you can't have a social life. You might not be going out quite as much as your flatmates but that doesn't mean you are spending 6 hours in the library everyday. Biggest piece of advice for this is not to leave things to the last minute and actually enjoy your first year.
3) UKCAT + RECENT RELEVANT WORK EXPERIENCE. As long as you've got a decent UKcat you stand a VERY good shot at getting an interview, its different every year but spend as much time before coming to uni to try and get a good UKcat. Also at interview they want to see that you have some stuff you've done in uni that show that you are motivated to do medicine e.g. i joined one of the medicine societies and got a part time job as a carer. they wont be as bothered about the 2 weeks you did in africa in year 10.
Like I said its competitive but i think as long as you take each hurdle as it comes and put in your best; ukcat, grades, interview, then its definitely worth going for if you didn't get into medicine via the traditional route. However don't go for it if you won't enjoy doing the entire 3 years should you fail to get in.


Hey what's your name? Wondering if I know you!
Also what was your UKCAT?
Original post by BeeNotes
You have to write a personal statement but I'm not entirely sure what it was used for seeing as the interviewers don't read them and it's not used to decide who gets an interview. My guess is that they use it to decide between people who have the same grades/ ukcat/ interview score. The information on the website says getting an interview is purely down to UKcat, as long as you get 75% in your exams. And nope, a level grades are not a factor. I got ABBBC in my a levels which was the reason I missed out on my original offer for med school. And here's another piece of advice, don't get intimidated by all the really smart people. I remember thinking I would never get an offer because I was nowhere near as smart as some of the other people I knew were applying but at the end of the day they are looking for people who would make good doctors, and thats a lot more than just cleverness


thanks for ur reply. out of curiosity, how many people applied for the transfer route and how may places are available? and roughly what ukcat score is considered 'high'. and did you study for ukcat whilst at uni or did u do it before? and finally, what accomodation would you recommend and do they have seperate girls accomodation?
thanks!
:smile:
Reply 10
Original post by alfresco_
Hey what's your name? Wondering if I know you!
Also what was your UKCAT?


I'm not gonna put my name on here for obvious reasons hahaha. But my UKcat was 685

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Reply 11
Original post by wishingwillow
thanks for ur reply. out of curiosity, how many people applied for the transfer route and how may places are available? and roughly what ukcat score is considered 'high'. and did you study for ukcat whilst at uni or did u do it before? and finally, what accomodation would you recommend and do they have seperate girls accomodation?
thanks!
:smile:


I don't know the stats for this year, they've not been released. It will probably have been the same as last year. So 100 applicants, around 80 get the grades, 20 interviews and 8 offers. I studied for the ukcat before uni because I wanted to settle in without it hanging over my head. A high UKcat really depends on how well your year does, I was told by a second year before I applied that I probably wouldn't get in because my UKcat was too low (685). To be fair everyone else I knew who had an interview had a higher score. I think if you get around 700 then you have a good shot. Most accommodation is mixed but I know castle leazes has seperate accommodation options. I think the best accommodation is probably park terrace. Both are pretty close to the med school.

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Original post by BeeNotes
I'm not gonna put my name on here for obvious reasons hahaha. But my UKcat was 685

Posted from TSR Mobile


You can message me just your first name/nickname haha!
Original post by BeeNotes
I don't know the stats for this year, they've not been released. It will probably have been the same as last year. So 100 applicants, around 80 get the grades, 20 interviews and 8 offers. I studied for the ukcat before uni because I wanted to settle in without it hanging over my head. A high UKcat really depends on how well your year does, I was told by a second year before I applied that I probably wouldn't get in because my UKcat was too low (685). To be fair everyone else I knew who had an interview had a higher score. I think if you get around 700 then you have a good shot. Most accommodation is mixed but I know castle leazes has seperate accommodation options. I think the best accommodation is probably park terrace. Both are pretty close to the med school.

Posted from TSR Mobile


hi
thanks for your rpely. what do you mean that only 80 get the grades if you said that they dont look at grades? allso, is the offer conditional of you getting a first at the end of the first year or do they look at the grades you achieve during midblock tests and other small assessments? also, do you know of any poeple who applied for med transfer but also applied to other unis aswell (as there are few that accept first yr applications)? also, do you send off ur ucas application before starting uni or do you do it internally through the uni???

thanks
Reply 14
Original post by wishingwillow
hi
thanks for your rpely. what do you mean that only 80 get the grades if you said that they dont look at grades? allso, is the offer conditional of you getting a first at the end of the first year or do they look at the grades you achieve during midblock tests and other small assessments? also, do you know of any poeple who applied for med transfer but also applied to other unis aswell (as there are few that accept first yr applications)? also, do you send off ur ucas application before starting uni or do you do it internally through the uni???

thanks


I meant the uni grades, like I said before, you need a 75% average to get considered for interview in first semester and if you get an offer the conditions are that you get 75% in second semester as well. The application is done internally not through ucas, the deadline is around the beginning of January and I don't know of anyone applying to other unis. The biomed course is spit into 4 modules per semester, 3 of them are graded one exam and the other is a practical module. At the end of each practical you have to do a lab report or some questions which you submit and those are graded. The marks are totalled up to give your final mark and you have to get over 65 in that module too.

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Hi there! An old thread but if people do have questions I managed to transfer this year. (Biomed 16/17 now Med 17/18)
Hi, do you mind stating what your stats were when you applied for the transfer? (UKCAT,how much work experience,Semester 1 results). It would be greatly appreciated.
Original post by Logic4Life
Hi, do you mind stating what your stats were when you applied for the transfer? (UKCAT,how much work experience,Semester 1 results). It would be greatly appreciated.


Sure 695 UKCAT, couple of weeks in various departments (they didn't really care about this) and continuous volunteering work (which I was still doing during the holidays while at uni) for 2 years, ~80% avg in semester 1.

I must point out though that there were fewer applicants in my year, with only around 70 people applying.
(edited 6 years ago)
Original post by Blazingphoenix
Sure 695 UKCAT, couple of weeks in various departments (they didn't really care about this) and continuous volunteering work (which I was still doing during the holidays while at uni) for 2 years, ~80% avg in semester 1.

I must point out though that there were fewer applicants in my year, with only around 70 people applying.


Thanks for the response. Also how much work did you do per day on average (hours) and did you buy the textbooks or just use the lecture notes. Finally are the exams hard and do they target specific details from the lectures or are the questions more generic? I can't find any past paper questions anywhere and I'm not sure what I'm supposed to know for the mocks I have very soon. Is it just everything from the lectures? Thank you.
(edited 6 years ago)
@Logic4Life I hate giving out advice on how much work you should be doing because that is ultimately up to you. And you don't have to buy the textbooks as some are available online, and there are many print versions in the library.

While I mainly worked from lecture slides, with notes from when I attended, others worked solely from recap. I used textbooks and google (yay) to back up my knowledge, and others studied the textbook from back to front. Some even formed study groups, though I didn't float in those circles :cry:.I know multiple transfers who all worked very differently and who were all successful. As a university student, you are responsible for finding out your own way.

Although I can't remember the exams, I think even at induction they do say that anything mentioned is fair game to be examined on. Sadly, there are no past papers available, despite what some lecturers say :grumble:. I do recommend using the resources they give you (*cough* Peerwise *cough*) and taking the mocks seriously; they'll give you a good idea at where you are working at.

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